Laundry machine having a dooroperated timer



LAUNDRY MACHINE HAVING A DOOR-OPERATED TIMER Filed April 6, 1961 1 l9 1I n Fig. 3 M "mp h INE/ENTOR. M I l I! J Lowe/[Gibson Fig. BY

4 4 7 7 His Arr omey.

United States Patent i 3,024,638 LAUNDRY MACHHNE HAVING A DOOR- OPERATEDTIMER J Lowell Gibson, Dayton, Ohio, assignor to General MotorsCorporation, Detroit, Mich, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 6,1961, Ser. No. 101,148 8 Claims. (Cl. 68-12) This invention relates toclothes laundering machines and particularly to a method of andarrangement for instigating timed cycles of operation of a motor-drivenelement therein.

I am aware of the fact that laundry machines such as domestic clotheswashing and drying machines and combinations thereof have been providedwith an electrically energizable clock timer or chronometricallyoperated timing device which is manually settable by the operator of amachine or apparatus to start or activate same for causing one or moretimed cycles of operation of an electric motor-driven element orelements incorporated in the machine. These timers or timing devices, inaddition to being expensive and complicated, are a frequent source oftrouble creating many service calls and which trouble usually occurs attimes clothes laundering acts are in progress. Such timers or timingdevices are not infallible and consequently they have not been entirelysatisfactory from the standpoint of appliance manufacturers and ofovercoming provocation of paradoxical ill will on the part of users ofdomestic appliances equipped with same. I therefore contemplate theprovision in or on domestic appliances and particularly clothes washingor rying apparatuses or machines of a simplified, inexpensive and morepractical timing means or timer device for both starting and stopping anoperative element therein to effect a timed cycle of operation of theelement.

An object of my invention is to provide an improved, practical andsubstantially trouble-free clothes laundering apparatus or machine.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clothes launderingmachine with a timing means or device which is rendered operativeautomatically to effect a timed cycle of operation of an element thereofby the act of opening a door of the machine leading to a clothesreceiving chamber therein preparatory to placing the clothes in thechamber to be processed.

A further object of my invention is to provide in a clothes launderingmachine a combined mechanical or spring wound timer and electric switchdevice, the timer of which is wound and rendered operative in responseto opening a door of the machine for actuating a switch thereof to makeand break an electric circuit leading to an electric motor driving anelement in the machine so as to effect a timed cycle of operation of theelement and energization of other components of the machine to carry outone or more functions of treating clothes placed therein.

It is a still further and more specific object of my invention toprovide a laundry machine having a combined spring wound device as setforth in the foregoing object with additional means in the electriccircuit thereof actuated in response to opening the door of its clothesreceiving tub or chamber for breaking the circuit to the motor andtemporarily interrupting actuation of the element operated or driventhereby when it is desired to inspect clothes contained in the chamberwithout lessening a timed cycle of operation of the element.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparentfrom the following description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawing wherein a preferred embodiment of the present invention isclearly shown.

3,024,638 Patented Mar. 13, 1962 "ice In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a front perspective view of a clothes washing machine havingmy invention embodied therein;

FIGURE 2 is a vertical sectional view of the washing machine taken alongthe line 22 of FIGURE 1 with certain elements thereof shown in elevationhaving a schematic arrangement of my combined timer control and switchwith the switch connected in an electric circuit diagrammaticallyillustrated; and

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line33 of FIGURE 1 showing the door of the washing machine locked to itshinge pin mounting.

Before proceeding with a description of the present disclosure, madeprimarily for the purpose of illustration, it is desired to point outthat my invention is applicable to any appliances having an electricdriven element which is adapted to complete a timed cycle of operationbefore being automatically stopped. In this respect my invention isparticularly useful in laundry apparatus such as clothes washing andclothes drying machines wherein it is desirable for reasons hereinbeforestated to eliminate an electric clock timer. In these laundry machinesthe operative element may be a spinnable tub, a clothes agitator whichis both rotated and reciprocated and/ or a rotary clothes tumbling drumor the like. In order to simplify illustration of my invention, I preferto show a washing machine including an operative element or agitator, anelectric motor for driving same, a combined timer and electric switchdevice and a single electric circuit for the motor and device which isnot complex. However, it is to be understood that the combined timer andswitch device may be of a more complicated construction whereby it issettable in different positions to control a plurality of circuits in amultiple circuit electric system as is present in modern washingmachines for effecting various cycles of operation of one or moreoperative elements therein.

Referring now to the draWings,.I show in FIGURE 1 thereof a clotheswashing apparatus or machine including, in general, a cabinet 10 havinga casing or housing 11 provided with a plurality of walls forming ordefining a chamber in the cabinet. A trough-like partition divides theinterior of the chamber in cabinet 10 into an upper compartment 14 and alower compartment 16. A rotatable or centrifugal basket composed of aninner perforated cup 17 and an outer imperforate cup 18, weldedtogether, is adapted to retain liquid while the basket is stationary andto discharge the liquid over the top rim thereof when the basket isrotated. An operative element or reciprocating clothes agitator 19 islocated within the centrifugal basket and is consequently contained inthe chamber of cabinet 10 formed by walls of housing 11. :A basketcounterbalancing means 21 is provided in cabinet 10 and this means isconnected to a mechanism within a casing 22 driven by an electric motorwithin a casing 23 bolted or otherwise suitably secured to casing 22.The mechanism in casing 22 includes means usually effective to producerotation of the basket, composed of cups 18 and 17, when the electricmotor in casing 23 is energized and rotated in one direction and toreciprocate element or agitator 19 when the motor is energized androtated in the other direction. While I have, for the sake ofsimplification as hereinbefore mentioned, shown an electric circuitwhich energizes motor in casing 23 to cause operation or reciprocationonly of element or agitator 19, it is to be understood that energizationof the electric motor in casing 23 may, through the mechanism withincasing 23, transmit rotary motion to the clothes basket, cups 17 and 18,or it may rotate a clothes receiving drum of a clothes drying machine.The general structure, other components such as water fill and Waterremoval means of the washing machine herein disclosed, together with theoperative element thereof, may be of a type shown and more fullydescribed in the patent to Clark #2,366,236 dated January 2, 1945 andassigned to the assignee of this application. This type of washingmachine in the patent just referred to is well known to those skilled inthe art and hence no further or detailed description thereof is deemednecessary herein.

In accordance with my invention I desire to eliminate the electricallydriven clock timer or timing device shown in the Clark patent from themachine herein disclosed. Such timers are well known to those skilled inthe art since they are more or less standard equipment in presentdaywashing machines and are shown and fully described in several patents,for example, Clark 02,823 April 4, 1950; Candor #2,608,252 August 26,1952; Manecke #2,654,961; and Clark #2,846,766. In my clothes washingmachine the chamber within cabinet 10, formed by walls of housing 11, isprovided with an opening 26 (see FIGURE 1) centrally within a depressedportion 27 at the top of the cabinet. Opening 26 affords access to thechamber in cabinet 10 and particularly to the clothes basket defined bycups 17 and 18. A door or lid 29 is hingedly mounted on cabinet 10 forvertical swinging movement relative thereto and normally closes thechamber access opening 26. This door 29 may be hollow and the spacebetween its inner and outer panels, can, if desired, contain anysuitable insulating material. The hinge means for door or lid 29 has around hinge pin, rod or shaft 31, rotatably anchored to housing 11 atthe pivot points 32 (see FIGURE 2). A central part of hinge pin or shaft31 is square as at 34 and a bracket welded or otherwise suitably securedto door 29, or a portion of the door itself, may be bent around thesquare part 34 of pin 31 and locked thereto so as to rotate this hingepin or shaft with a swinging movement of door 29. An extension of pin orshaft 31 has secured thereto a gear 36 and a further extension 37thereof has a cam 38 mounted thereon. Gear 36 and cam 38 are rotatablewith the pin or shaft 31 upon a swinging movement of door 29 and cam 38engages a spring biased plunger 39 forming a part of a timer to now begenerally described.

A mechanically or spring wound combined timing means, timer or timingand electric switch device indicated at 40 includes a spring tensionedrotatable shaft 41 having a part thereof protruding outwardly from eachof its sides. A gear 42 is mounted on timer shaft 41 and meshes with oris geared to gear 36 on hinge pin or shaft 31. A slip clutch, indicatedby the numeral 43, forms a part of timer device 40 and is employed forpreventing too tight or overwinding of a spring therein upon successiveopening movements of door 29. The opposite end of shaft 41 of combineddevice 40 projecting out of the other side thereof has a cam 44 mountedthereon for rotation therewith. The cam 44 is of such a shape orconfiguration as to permit a spring contact cam following arm 46 ofelectric switch portion 47 of the combined timer and switch device torest or remain in a recessed or dwell part thereof while door 29 ofwashing machine cabinet 10 is closed, opened and/or during its swingingmovement for normally maintaining the contact arm 46 separated from astationary contact arm 48 of switch 47. Cam 44 has a lobe or raisedportion thereon which is so arranged as to be immediately rotated byshaft 41, upon activation and release of the spring in device 40, forclosing contact arm 46 against contact arm 48 to make an electriccircuit through switch 47 of the combined device. The slip clutch 43also permits reverse rotation of shaft 41 of device 40 to rotate cam 44thereon so as to actuate switch 47 when the cabinet door 29 is closedafter being swung open. Switch portion 47 of the combined device 40 isinterposed in a circuit for conducting electric current to the motor incasing 23. This electric circuit includes a wire conductor 51 leadingfrom one side of a source of electric current supply to the motor, awire conductor 52 leading from the motor to contact arm 46 of switch 47and a wire conductor 53 leading from switch contact arm 48 to the otherside of a power main. A second spring biased button switch 56 isinterposed in the electric circuit, wire 52, and this switch is adaptedto be opened in response to an opening swinging movement of door 29. Thesecond spring biased button switch 56 is mounted on an apron part of thedepressed portion 27 (see FIGURE 1) on the top of cabinet 10 forengagement by door 29 when same is closed to make contact with orthrough the wire 52 leading from motor 23 to switch portion 47 ofcombined device 40. Spring wound devices such as combined device 40, theslip clutch 43, and electric switch portion 47 thereof are conventionalin the art and their functions or operations are well known, hence no detailed description thereof is necessary herein.

In the present disclosure the lid or door 29 of washing machine cabinet10 is swung open through an arc of substantially and soiled clothes tobe washed therein are placed in cup 17 within the chamber of thecabinet. This opening swinging movement of door 29 rotates hinge pin orshaft 31, gear 36 and cam 38 in a counterclockwise direction as viewedin FIGURES 1 and 3. Gear 36 rotates gear 42 of the combined device 40and rotation of shaft 41 by gear 42 winds a spring in the device 40 to apredetermined tension for causing a timed operation thereof. Cam 38 isalso rotated simultaneously with rotation of gear 36 by the 90 openingmovement of door 29 and plunger 39, which previously rested in a dwellor recessed portion of cam 38, is thereby moved, by a raised peripheralportion of cam 38, into the casing of device 40 for momentarily lockingthe spring in the device against rotating its shaft 41. As beforestated, contact arm 46 of switch 47 is separated from its stationarycontact arm 48 during opening swinging movement of door 29. Combineddevice 40 is at this time held or cocked, in a wound condition ready tobe uncocked for activating same to close contact arms 46 and 48 ofswitch 47 as soon as door 29 of cabinet 10 of the washing machine isswung back through the 90 are into closed position. At this time, thesecond spring pressed button electric switch 56 is also open by virtueof door 29 being moved out of engagement therewith. The clothes washingapparatus or machine is now idle with the electric circuit thereofbroken at two points therein and when door 29 of cabinet 10 is swungshut or closed hinge pin or shaft 31 rotates back through itssubstantially 90 are. This closing movement of door 29 and consequentlyreturn rotation of pin or shaft 31 rotates a raised peripheral portionof cam 38 past spring biased plunger 39 and the plunger moves out ofeasing of device 40, into engagement with a recessed or dwell portion ofcam 38, to unlock the wound spring in device 40. Closing movement ofdoor 29 also closes the button switch 56 to make the circuittherethrough in Wire 52. The slip clutch 43 then permits the woundspring in device 40 to reversely rotate shaft 41 thereof, withoutrotating gear 42, which shaft 41 in turn rotates the lobe or raisedportion of cam 44 to shift the cam following spring arm contact 46 ofswitch 47 into engagement with stationary contact arm 48 thus, sinceswitch 56 has been closed, making the electric circuit through wires 51,52 and 53 to the motor in casing 23. Although a water filling means isnot shown in the present disclosure, it is to be understood that themaking of the electric circuit also, at least momentarily, energizessuitable means to cause water to enter the clothes basket, cups 17 and18, for a clothes washing operation. Energization of motor 23 rotatesthe motor in one direction which reciprocates or causes operation ofagitator 19 through the mechanism contained in casing 22. Since device40 is operating under the influence of the previously wound springtherein the electric circuit is maintained closed to actuate motor 23for effecting a timed cycle of operation of element or agitator 19. Thistimed cycle of operation or agitation of agitator 19 to carry out awashing period of clothes in machine is of a duration corresponding tothe intensity of winding of the spring in the mechanically woundcombined timer and switch device 40. Thus after the spring in device 40has been uncocked and has completely unwound, the reverse rotation ofshaft 41 and cam 44 thereon causes the cam following spring contact arm46 of switch 47 to be biased into the recessed or dwell portion of cam44. The contact arms 46 and 48 then separate from one another to breakthe electric circuit to motor 23 and terminate the timed cycle ofoperation or agitation of element or agitator 19. At any period duringthe timed cycle of operation of agitator 19 door 29 on cabinet 10 can beopened to inspect the clothes washing process and agitation of theagitator will be interrupted without reducing the predetermined durationof its timed operation. For example, after a timed cycle of operation ofelement 19 is initiated in response to opening and closing door 29 asubsequent opening of the door immediately causes cam 38 to push plunger39 into the casing of device 40 to lock the spring therein and preventcontinued reverse rotation of shaft 41 and cam 44. This subsequentopening swinging movement of door 29 disengages button switch 56 and itsspring shifts the switch to break the electric circuit through wire 52to motor 23. When door 29 is thereafter closed it shifts switch 56 intoclosed position to again make the momentarily broken electric circuitthrough wire 52. This closing of door 29 also reversely rotates hingepin shaft and cam 38 thereon and therefore releases plunger 39 to permitthe combined timer-switch device 40 to again resume its timed making andbreaking of the electric circuit and consequently the predeterminedtimed cycle of operation of element 19. Thus device 40 is renderedoperative to actuate switch 47 thereof by its connection or connectingmeans, slip clutch 43, gears 36 and 42 and hinge pin or shaft 31 inresponse to a swinging movement of door 29 on cabinet or machine 10. Therendering operative of combined device 40 may occur as frequently asvarious clothes washing, rinsing, spin drying and/or tumble dryingcycles are desired by an opening swinging movement of the appliancedoor.

It should, from the foregoing, be apparent that I have provided animproved substantially infallible arrangement for effecting a timedcycle of operation of an operative element or agitator in laundrymachines. The arrangement is such that laundry machines need not beequipped with an expensive and troublesome electrically operated timerdevice thus their manufacturing costs may be reduced. By employing acombined spring wound timer-switch device as herein disclosed itsoperation'is positive and automatic in response to movement of a door ona laundry machine when clothes are to be processed therein to provide atimed cycle of operation of an element within the machine.

While the embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosedconstitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other formsmight be adopted.

What is claimed is as follows:

1. In combination, a clothes washing machine comprising a housing havingwalls defining a chamber therein containing an agitator driven by anelectric motor, a circuit for conducting electric current from a sourceof supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing being providedwith an opening atfording access to said chamber, a door for the chamberaccess opening, said door being mounted on said housing for movementrelative thereto, a mechanically wound timing device on said machineincluding a switch interposed in said circuit, means connecting saiddoor to said device, said means being actuated in response to a movementof said door for winding said timing device, and said switch of thetiming device making and breaking the electric circuit to said motor foreffecting a timed cycle of operation of said agitator.

2. In combination, a clothes washing machine comprising a housing havingwalls defining a chamber therein containing an agitator driven by anelectric motor, a circuit for conducting electric current from a sourceof supply thereof to said motor, a Wall of said housing being providedwith an opening aifording access to said chamber, a door for the chamberaccess opening, said door being mounted on said housing for movementrelative thereto, a mechanically wound timing device on said machineincluding a switch interposed in said circuit, means connecting saiddoor to said device, said means being actuated in response to a movementof said door for Winding said timing device, said switch of the timingdevice making and breaking the electric circuit to said motor forelfecting a timed cycle of operation of said agitator, a second switchassociated with said door and interposed in said circuit, and saidsecond switch being actuated in response to an opening movement of saiddoor for breaking the circuit to said motor while same is operating tointerrupt a cycle of operation of the agitator.

3. In combination, a clothes washing machine comprising a housing havingwalls defining a chamber therein containing an agitator driven by anelectric motor, a circuit for conducting electric current from a sourceof supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing being providedwith an opening affording access to said chamber, a door for the chamberaccess opening, said door being hingedly mounted on said housing forswinging movement relative thereto, a spring wound timer device on saidmachine including a switch interposed in said circuit, means forming aconnection between said door and said device, said means being actuatedin response to a swinging movement of said door for winding the springof said timer device, and said switch of the timer device making andbreaking the electric circuit to said motor for effecting a timed cycleof operation of said agitator.

4. In combination, a clothes washing machine comprising a housing havingwalls defining a chamber therein containing an agitator driven by anelectric motor, a circuit for conducting electric current from a sourceof supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing being providedwith an opening aifording access to said chamber, a door for the chamberaccess opening, a hinge having a hinge pin mounting said door on saidhousing for swinging movement relative thereto, said door being securedto said hinge pin for rotating same with swinging of the door, amechanically wound timing device on said machine including a switchinterposed in said circuit, means connecting said door hinge pin to saiddevice, said hinge pin actuating said means to wind the timing device inresponse to a swinging movement of said door, and said switch of thetiming device making and breaking the electric circuit to said motor forefiecting a timed cycle of operation of said agitator.

5. A laundry machine comprising in combination, a housing having wallsdefining a chamber in the machine containing an electric motor and anelement driven thereby, a circuit for conducting electric current from asource of supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing beingprovided with an opening atfording access to said chamber, a door forthe chamber access opening, said door being mounted on said housing formovement relative thereto, a mechanically wound timing device on saidmachine including a switch interposed in said circuit, means connectingsaid door to said device, said means being actuated in response to amovement of said door for winding said timing device and rendering itoperative to actuate said switch, and said switch making and breakingthe electric circuit to said motor for effecting a timed cycle ofoperation of said element by said device.

6. A laundry machine comprising in combination, a

a housing having walls defining a chamber in the machine containing anelectric motor and an element driven thereby,.a circuit for conductingelectric current from a source of supply thereof to said motor, a wallof said housing being provided with an opening affording access to saidchamber, a door for the chamber access opening, said door being mountedon said housing for movement relative thereto, a mechanically woundtiming device on said machine including a switch interposed in saidcircuit, means connecting said door to said device, said means beingactuated in response to a movement of said door for winding said timingdevice and rendering it operative to actuate said switch, said switchmaking and breaking the electric circuit to said motor for effecting atimed cycle of operation of said element by said device, a second switchassociated with said door and interposed in said circuit, and saidsecond switch being actuated in response to an opening movement of saiddoor for breaking the circuit to said motor while same is operating tointerrupt a cycle of operation of said element.

7. A laundry machine comprising in combination, a housing having wallsdefining a chamber in the machine containing an electric motor and anelement driven thereby, a circuit for conducting electric current from asource of supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing beingprovided with an opening afiording access to said chamber, a door forthe chamber access opening, a hinge having a hinge pin mounting saiddoor on said housing for swinging movement relative thereto, said doorbeing secured to said hinge pin for rotating same with swinging of thedoor, a mechanically wound timing device on said machine including aswitch interposed in said circuit, means connecting said door hinge pinto said device, said hinge pin actuating said means in response to aswinging movement of said door for winding said timing device andrendering it operative to actuate snid switch, and said switch makingand breaking the electric circuit to said motor for effecting a timedcycle of operation of said element by said device.

8. A laundry machine comprising in combination, a housing having wallsdefining a chamber in the machine containing an electric motor and anelement driven thereby, a circuit for conducting electric current from asource of supply thereof to said motor, a wall of said housing beingprovided with an opening affording access to said chamber, a door forthe chamber access opening, said door being hingedly mounted on saidhousing for swinging movement relative thereto, a spring wound timerdevice on said machine including a switch interposed in said circuit,means forming a connection between said door and said device, said meansbeing actuated in response to a swinging movement of said door forwinding the spring of said timer device and rendering it operative toactuate said switch, and said switch making and breaking the electriccircuit to said motor for effecting a timed cycle of operation of saidelement by said device.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS2,082,004 Hull June 1, 1937 2,575,704 Clark Nov. 20, 1951 2,710,615Lines June 14, 1955

